Euro-Graph Reports November 2022 Statistics of the European Graphic Papers Industry

Stora Enso and Voodin Blade Technology GmbH have signed a partnership agreement to develop sustainable wind turbine blades from wood. Under the agreement, the two companies are committed to developing sustainable alternatives for wind turbine blades and creating a competitive and reliable supply chain. They are currently producing and installing a 20 m blade for a 0.5 MW turbine and have plans for an 80 m blade. Wind power blades are typically produced with fibreglass and carbon fibre, energy-intensive non- renewable plastics made from petrochemicals that cannot be easily recycled. Tens of thousands of ageing blades today end up in landfills. By developing blades with sustainable wood, Stora Enso and Voodin Blades can make the blades lighter and reduce the overall dependency on fossil fuel extraction.

With around 4,000 women employed directly or indirectly by Sappi Forests nationwide– through its own personnel in its nurseries, and sub-contracted to its harvesting and silviculture contractors – the company is very aware of the crucial role that rural women play in the agricultural labour force. It is to these women that the United Nations have dedicated the International Day of Rural Women, celebrated on 15 October every year. Fittingly, the theme for this year is “Building rural women’s resilience in the wake of COVID-19” and highlights the fact that the specific struggles that rural women face in their daily lives were further aggravated by the pandemic. World Food Day is another significant UN commemorative day which follows immediately on 16 October and further ties in the crucial role that rural women play in combating top on the list of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 1 ‘No Poverty’ and SDG2 ‘Zero Hunger’).

Stora Enso is launching its wood-based biocomposites, DuraSense™ by Stora Enso. This is another major step on the group’s journey to replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. DuraSense is available to companies seeking high performance and a sustainable, bio-based alternative to plastics. DuraSense enables the use of renewable fibres, such as wood, to substitute for a large portion of fossil-based plastic. The production of biocomposites began in 2018 at Stora Enso’s Hylte Mill in Sweden, following the EUR 12 million investment announced in 2017. At full production, the mill’s annual production capacity is 15 000 tonnes, which is the largest capacity in Europe dedicated to wood fibre composites. Click Read More below for additional information.